Latest news with #QueenMotherMemorialCup
South China Morning Post
15-05-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Andrea Atzeni hoping Bundle Award can complete historic 2,400m double in Champions & Chater Cup
Andrea Atzeni will be hoping Bundle Award can become the first horse to parlay Group Three Queen Mother Memorial Cup (2,400m) success into Group One Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m) glory in the same season when he jumps aboard the progressive galloper for the first time next weekend. Victorious under Zac Purton in the recent Queen Mother Memorial Cup, the John Size-trained Bundle Award will join forces with Atzeni after Purton opted to lock in the ride aboard stablemate Ensued for the final Group One of the Hong Kong season. 'It's a good ride to get,' said Atzeni. 'He's a horse that stays the trip and he's only young. He's done nothing wrong so far and it's a really good ride. 'He won over the mile and a half the last day. I know they didn't go really quick and it turned into a bit of a sprint, but in these mile and a half races they never go a gallop here anyway, so it could set up very similarly and he's a horse who has quite a bit of speed. Stayer on the rise? 👀 Bundle Award outstays rivals to win the six-runner G3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup over 2400m for @zpurton and John Size at Sha Tin! 🏆#LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 4, 2025 'He stays but he's got quite a bit of pace, so if it turns into a bit of a sprint like it did the last day, it will suit him.' Atzeni will have his first sit on Bundle Award in a Sha Tin dirt trial on Friday morning, with superstar miler Voyage Bubble and Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) winner Cap Ferrat also using the 1,200m hit-out as a stepping stone to the Champions & Chater Cup. Voyage Bubble, who is looking to sweep the Hong Kong Triple Crown, and British raider Dubai Honour shape as the horses to beat come May 25. 'Voyage Bubble has got to step up in trip, which is obviously a question mark, but with the class that he has, he probably doesn't need to stay to win it,' said Atzeni. The champ Via Sistina claims the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes with ease, equalling Winx's record of 7 Group 1's in a season! 🤩 What a mare!@cwallerracing | @mcacajamez | @YulongInvest | @aus_turf_club | @WorldPool — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 12, 2025 'Dubai Honour gets this trip very well and last time behind Via Sistina [in the Group One Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2,000m) at Randwick], although he had a bit of a tough trip, he never gave up and kept going all the way to the line. He's a very smart horse.' Triumphant aboard the improving Crimson Flash at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, Italian jockey Atzeni heads to Sha Tin this Sunday with a full book of 10 rides as he chases the one victory he requires to notch a century of Hong Kong successes. Ng shows signs of life Pierre Ng Pang-chi was another to taste success at the city circuit's midweek meeting and it was a much-needed breakthrough for the third-season trainer. A runaway leader in the trainers' title for much of last season before being pipped by Francis Lui Kin-wai at a pulsating season finale, Ng also hit the ground running this campaign before hitting a brick wall in recent months. After enjoying a share of the premiership lead as recently as February, Ng has slid down to eighth on the table after managing only three wins in March and one in April. Cambridge is off the mark in Hong Kong! 🤝 Formerly trained by Aidan O'Brien, the Irish import was G3-placed at @LeopardstownRC before joining Pierre Ng's stable at Sha Tin... 🇮🇪 @JerryChau15 @AtTheRaces | #HappyWednesday | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 14, 2025 The victory of Cambridge on Wednesday night was Ng's first in 65 runners and six weeks – the longest drought among the training ranks. While it's well known how difficult it is to contend for titles in consecutive seasons in Hong Kong as horses rise through the ratings to unsustainable marks, Ng's drop off in form has been an alarming one. It will be interesting now whether he can build some late-season momentum or if he saves most of his bullets for another title push next campaign.
New Paper
04-05-2025
- Sport
- New Paper
Bundle Award swoops home late to post first Group win
HONG KONG - The progressive four-year-old Bundle Award might have earned a start at Group 1 level, after displaying an impressive talent to win the HK$4.2 million (S$700,000) Group 3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup Handicap (2,400m) at Sha Tin on May 4. Triumphant at 1,400m and 1,800m at Sha Tin this year, the John Size-trained Bundle Award handled the rise to 2,400m with aplomb to defeat Noisy Boy (Jerry Chau) by a short head in 2min 29.72sec. Winning Dragon (Alexis Badel) was third another ¾ length away. While the winning margin was slender, there was a sense of inevitability about the outcome when the Bundle Award ($9) fanned to the outside of the six-horse field at the home turn under Zac Purton. The Shamus Award gelding accelerated from the tail of the field to power to the line in 21.67sec over the final 400m, as Noisy Boy resisted bravely and Winning Dragon also refused to yield. Bundle Award's performance leaves master trainer Size with the potential option of starting the gelding - the winner of three races in Australia, where he raced as Prince Prawn - in the Group 1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m) at Sha Tin on May 31. "We'll see how he is. He's not rated up to that (Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup) at the moment, but let's have a look and see what's available for him," Size said of the 86-rater. "He's been really good for us and he's performed admirably today. It was a big job for him to go to another distance and still win. "It was hard to predict how they would run the race, but it probably was going to be a slow-run affair. "But, a long way from home, he looked like he might be able to win the race. It was just a matter of whether he was in the frame of mind to go on with it. "He's physically fine. I think he's just got to learn a little bit more about racing and a little bit more about how to win a race." Size last won the Queen Mother Memorial Cup with Dr Well in 2006, while Purton added to his wins in the race on Dominant (2013) and Exultant (2018) after his left foot was dislodged from the stirrup when the gates opened. "He came out sideways and banged the gate. It's my sore foot, so it's in a bit of pain," he said. "They went really slow, which was always going to play into my hands because he's got the best turn of foot of any horse in the race. "It became a sprint home. He had it won a fair way out but he just didn't know how to put them away. He did a good job." Bundle Award, who finished seventh to Cap Ferrat in the BMW Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) on March 23, is the first horse out of this season's Classic to win a Group race. Size also combined with Purton for a double after Crossborderpegasus ($7) made it three wins from four starts in the Class 3 Gascoigne Handicap (1,200m). Tony Cruz swept to another towering milestone with a double at Sha Tin, taking his combined career haul as a trainer and jockey in Hong Kong to 2,500 wins. The six-time champion jockey rode 946 winners. His successes on May 4 with Liveandletlive ($48) - who earned a PP Bonus of HK$1.5 million by winning the Class 3 Chatham Handicap (2,000m) under Angus Chung - and Winning Ovation ($33), who also snared a PP Bonus of HK$1.5 million under Badel in the Class 3 Austin Handicap (1,400m), took his tally as a trainer to 1,554. "I'm very happy with that. It's great," said the two-time Hong Kong champion trainer. HKJC
South China Morning Post
04-05-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Bundle Award scrambles home for Group Three glory despite leaving Zac Purton ‘sore'
Aussie jockey has to overcome a bang to the foot leaving the stalls on his way to victory in the HK$4.2 million feature Zac Purton overcame some early adversity to scramble heavy favourite Bundle Award home in the Group Three Queen Mother Memorial Cup (2,400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday. The $1.85 favourite gave his backers some early nervous moments when exiting the stalls sideways and forcing Purton's foot against the stalls, with the Aussie adjusting his stirrup soon after. Bundle Award sat last throughout the journey, stalking Noisy Boy as two of the three Tony Cruz-trained runners, Winning Dragon and La City Blanche, setting a very moderate pace in front. There was further frustration for Purton as he was forced wide into the straight, but Bundle Award – running over the trip for the first time – was always going to be dangerous off a slow pace and pounced late to deny a spirited Noisy Boy in the final strides. Stayer on the rise? 👀 Bundle Award outstays rivals to win the six-runner G3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup over 2400m for @zpurton and John Size at Sha Tin! 🏆#LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 4, 2025 'He came out sideways and banged the gate and it's my sore foot, too, so it's in a bit of pain,' said Purton in reference to the broken left big toe he suffered in a fall in February. 'They went really slow, which was always going to play into my hands because he's got the best turn of foot of any horse in the race. 'It became a sprint home. He had it won a fair way out but he just didn't know how to put them away. He's learning but he did a good job.' It was a third Queen Mother Memorial Cup victory for Purton, while trainer John Size was winning it for the first time since his breakthrough success with Dr Well in 2006. Seventh in the Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) in March, Bundle Award could now be set for the Group One Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m) later this month. 'It was hard to predict how they'd run the race. It was probably always going to be a slow-run affair, but a long way from home it looked like he might be able to win the race,' said Size. 'It was just a matter of whether he was in the frame of mind to go on with it. Physically he's fine, I think he's just got to learn a little bit more about racing and a little bit more about how to win a race. 'He actually did that as soon as he walked into the stable – he looked like he was going to settle in pretty quickly and he won his first race pretty quickly after he was here. 'He's been really good for us and he's performed admirably today. It was a big job for him to do that – to go to another distance and still win. 'We'll see how he is,' added Size when asked about a potential run in the Champions & Chater Cup on May 25. 'He's not rated up to that at the moment, but let's have a look and see what's available for him.' The win capped off a good day for Size and Purton, who also won with the talented but quirky Crossborderpegasus in the Class Three Gascoigne Handicap (1,200m). Crossborderpegasus always travelled ominously well in mid-pack under Purton, but he hung badly right under pressure and forced Purton to win the race with both hands on his left rein. 'He's just a really difficult horse to ride,' Purton said of the Rich Enuff gelding. 'He's got bad habits and it's very hard to keep him straight and it might be better for him at 1,400m.' And trainer Size had some sympathy for Purton, who likely added some arm pain to the later bang to the foot in the feature. 'I haven't seen the head on, but I'm sure it was a bit uncomfortable for him,' said Size. 'Anyway, [Crossborderpegasus is] making progress and he's winning races, so we'll see how we go with him.'
South China Morning Post
01-05-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Noisy Boy out to enhance Hong Kong Derby form in big day for four-year-old crop at Sha Tin
Noisy Boy (outside) gets up for a Class Two success under Andrea Atzeni. Photos: Kenneth Chan More than a quarter of this year's Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) field line up this Sunday Noisy Boy is out to enhance March's Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) form and bounce back to his best in the Group Three Queen Mother Memorial Cup (2,400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday. Dennis Yip Chor-hong's four-year-old failed to beat a rival in March's Derby, unable to follow up impressive wins in a Class Three over 2,200m and a 2,000m Class Two – both at Sha Tin. The form of his Class Two victory has been well advertised, cosily beating the likes of Winning Dragon, Stunning Peach, Packing Angel, Mickley and Bravehearts. Noisy Boy reopposes Winning Dragon and Bravehearts in the HK$4.2 million feature and will hope to show something like his best as he looks to become another four-year-old to show he can be a force next campaign. He will also take on Bundle Award, who was seventh in the Derby after making up plenty of late ground and will make plenty of appeal to punters with Zac Purton up for the first time. Completing the field are Winning Dragon's Tony Cruz-trained stablemates Five G Patch and La City Blanche as they prepare for the Group One Champions & Chater (2,400m) later this month. The Derby form was heavily scrutinised on last Sunday's Champions Day, with the winner Cap Ferrat running a big race when fifth in the Group One QE II Cup (2,200m) behind the likes of Japanese superstars Tastiera and Prognosis. Rubylot, who finished a running-on fifth in the Derby, also ran with huge amounts of credit to fill out sixth in the same race. HISTORY AT SHA TIN! 👏👏@CWilliamsJockey wins the 148th @BMW Hong Kong Derby aboard Cap Ferrat for trainer Francis Lui over a fast-closing My Wish... #4YOSeries | #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 23, 2025 Perhaps the best performance from a Derby runner came from My Wish in the Group One Champions Mile, who ran on gamely to finish fourth behind Red Lion, Voyage Bubble and Sunlight Power. Mark Newnham's rising star will not be seen again this season but will be targeted at both December's Group One Hong Kong Mile in December and the Champions Mile once again. Mickley and Steps Ahead will also bid to step forward from their Derby runs this Sunday as they drop back in distance for the Class Two Hillwood Handicap (1,600m). Steps Ahead only had My Wish behind him in the run in the Derby and he did not have the best of passages when trying to burrow up the rail. Despite that, he only finished half a length behind Mickley and trainer Francis Lui Kin-wai will be hopeful those placings can be reversed. A winner at Royal Ascot when trained by Edward Bethell in the UK, Mickley had a good midfield trip in the Derby but lacked a finishing kick in a race that was run at a bit of a crawl. Trainer John Size has called up Purton for the ride and it could be another big day for the Aussie, who rides in 10 of the 11 races and also has the plum ride on Bundle Award in the feature. Currently on 102 winners for the season, he is a whopping 46 ahead of the second-placed Hugh Bowman in the standings.
South China Morning Post
20-04-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Californiatotality bounces back from Derby defeat to land betting plunge in Lions Cup
Tough four-year-old Californiatotality landed a late betting plunge when he bounced back from his Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) flop with victory in Sunday's Class Two Hong Kong Lions Cup (1,800m). Brown-lamped late in betting from $16 to $6.2, the Tony Cruz-trained gelding notched his fourth win of the season after a fading 11th behind Cap Ferrat in last month's Derby. Camped behind a solid speed set by Voyage Samurai, Californiatotality looked in trouble approaching the turn when coming under pressure and failing to respond to Alexis Badel's urgings. However, he kept on willingly down the centre of the track to prevail over Steps Ahead and Pray For Mir in a thrilling three-way finish. Three-way finish! 📸 Californiatotality edges past Steps Ahead and Pray For Mir in a thriller under @AlexisBadel and Tony Cruz in the Class 2 Hong Kong Lions Cup... 🏆#LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) April 20, 2025 'I think it's the second or third time he's beaten that horse, Pray For Mir,' Cruz said after Californiatotality relished a light weight of just 116 pounds to win by a short head. 'Today you can see the lightweights are winning. It's a fast track today. First, second, third, even fourth – it was all the lightweights coming in. 'I think 1,800's perfect for him – light weight, even better.' While the strength of this year's Derby crop has been questioned, the form was given a little boost by Californiatotality, Steps Ahead and Bundle Award, who had excuses when a beaten $2 favourite in the Hong Kong Lions Cup. Jockey Zac Purton told stewards he intended to settle Bundle Award in a more prominent position, but the John Size-trained gelding's slow start forced him back to third last. The son of Shamus Award was disappointed for clear running between two runners near the 250m and had difficulty obtaining a clear run over the final 150m. Californiatotality notched his fourth win of the season and sixth overall from 19 starts. Cruz said the son of Zoustar will not make the leap to Group Three level in next month's Queen Mother Memorial Cup (2,400m), but he could be a candidate for a late-season feature such as the Group Three Premier Plate (1,800m) in June. Cruz's likely Queen Mother Memorial Cup runners Winning Dragon, Five G Patch and La City Blanche ran seventh, eighth and last of 11 respectively behind Californiatotality on Sunday. Elsewhere on Sunday's card, punters were on the money again when the brown-lamped Moduleconstruction saluted in the Class Three Ngau Tau Kok Handicap (1,200m). Firming late from $23 to $10, the Francis Lui Kin-wai-trained gelding sat outside of the lead and kept on strongly under Lyle Hewitson to beat Super Infinity by a neck. Super training performance, Francis Lui! 👊 After setbacks, Moduleconstruction rolls to a third career win for connections at Sha Tin... @LyleHewitson #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) April 20, 2025 Moduleconstruction has overcome two major injuries – a tendon injury in December 2023 and suspensory ligament injury last September – to return to the winners' list. 'He's had bad injuries twice, but his last run [when fourth to Geneva] was impressive and I think today it's good for the front-runners,' Lui said. 'He likes to go out in front.' Meanwhile, Cruz was fined HK$15,000 on Sunday for breaching the Trainers' Handbook Regulation when 'during a compliance check conducted in his stable on February 25 he was found in his possession medication that had not been approved by the Club's Veterinary Departments'. Stewards also suspended Karis Teetan and James Orman each for one meeting for careless riding.
